Safe Haven
by Phx-Songbird
Summary: Sequel to Protector. Takes place the immedaitely after the events of Protector. Hermione's POV. Severus and Hermione become friends. Hermione explores new found feelings for Severus.


Disclaimer: Not mine. Never has been or will be.

A/N: If you haven't read Protector please go back and read it, otherwise this story will not make any sense.

When I opened my eyes we were not where I expected to be. This certainly was not Hogwarts. We ended up in a small room with old shabby furniture. In fact everything in this room looked worn, but it was very tidy. My eyes scanned around the room and were immediately drawn to all the books on the shelves. They seemed to be everywhere. Before I could question him he spoke, "this is my home."

His words triggered a strange reaction in me. As soon as he spoke I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to cry uncontrollably. He held me as I sobbed. He tried to comfort me, but he didn't make any pretense about everything being alright. I was grateful for that and it seemed to calm me down. When the last of my tears had trickeld down my face I raised my head and looked into his dark eyes. It seemed like a lifetime before I found my voice, but when I did I asked him "why?"

"Why, Ms. Granger?" he responed only as he could.

"Yes, why did you make it seem like he was killed by death eaters? Why did you save me?"

He gestured towards the couch and I sat. He sat in the chair directly in front of the couch. I stared at the now empty fireplace while he spoke. "Ms. Granger, I was supposed to protect you from him. I was not present when you needed me."

"That wasn't your fault sir."

He then conjured up two tumblers and summoned a bottle of fire whiskey. He served the amber liquid and handed me a glass adn ordered me to drink. I did, and my reaction to the taste caused him to smirk. In defiance I took another sip and began to relax. Then I realized that this had been his intention all along.

"Ms. Granger, Hermione..." He used my given name. It scared me. In six years he had never used my name. "Hermione" he continued, "you are far to valuable to wizarding world to spend the rest of your life in Azkaban."

"Thank you sir." It was I could say. For six years I had been waiting for some kind of acknowledgement from this man. After finally recieving it, I could not believe that I was rendered nearly speechless.

"Hermione, I would think that after all that has transpired between you and I, we could dispense the formalities."

"You want me to use your given name sir?"

"Yes Hermione. I would however advise that you only do so in private, as we would not want anyone to think that there was something untoward between us."

I didn't respond right away, and he didn't try to press me. I had to think about this, it would change the dynamics of our relationship. It seemed wrong to use his name. He was still my profesor afterall, but the lines had already been crossed when he showed up at my house. He had done so much for me, there was just no way around it. I could not deny him this one simple request. "Ok, Severus."

"Good, now Hermione can you bear returning to your home to collect some clothing?"

"Yes, ofcourse Severus."

"Would like me to accompany you?"

"No, I can apparate directly into my room."

I went into my room and removed the torn night gown I was still wearing, and changed into a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt. I put some underwear and more clothes into an overnight bag and apparated back to Severus' home. When I arrived I was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of food. I follwed the delicious aroma into the kitchen. Until this moment I didn't realize how hungry I was.

"Would you care to join me Hermione?"

"Yes thank you Severus, I'm famished."

We ate in silence. The only sounds in the small kitchen was that of the silverware against the plates. Severus broke the silence "Hermione, I could obliviate the memory of what happened last night."

I looked up at him, and for the first time since it all happened I thought about it. It seemed as if it had actually happened to someone else. Facing the fact that I had murdered my father, and that the man sitting before me had covered it up was almost surreal. "Severus, what I did was unforgivable. It would be to easy to have the memory erased."

"Good girl."

"Why did you offer to do it if you didn't think it was a good idea?"

"Hermione, it is a good idea to banish the memory from you if cannot deal with it. The fact that you won't have it obliviated means that you can."

"Thank you for offering."

"You are welcome, now we must go see the headmaster."

"Why?" I asked.

"I must inform him. He will want to know why the dark mark was cast over your house and why you and your mother were spared."

"Ok."

"Hermione, I will have to tell him the truth, you understand that don't you?"

I got up from the table and began to put the dishes in the sink. I did this the muggle way to keep my hands from shaking. "Severus, I am afraid."

"You have nothing to fear Hermione, I will not allow anything to happen to you."

He rose from his chair and walked over to where I was standing. I looked into his eyes, and said "thank you." Then I wrapped my arms aroound his waist and buried my face in his chest.

"Let us go now, and get this over with."

He apparated us outside the grounds of Hogwarts. He loosened his hold on me but didn't let me go. "Hermione, it would probably be best for me to do the talking." I noded in agreement. This was probably the first time in my life that I actually preferred to have some else speak for me. When we entered Dumbledore's office he seemed to be expecting us. the gargoyle opened before Severus spoke the password. He did not seemed surprised by this as I was.

"Severus, Ms. Granger." the old man greeted us and we both noded in reply. He did not beat around the bush nor did he speak in riddles as was his custom. Today he went directly to heart of the matter. "I need to know what happened at Ms. Granger's home last night?" The question was directed at Severus but he just looked at the headmaster and did not reply. "Severus, why wasn't the order informed about an attack on the Grangers?" Severus finally spoke, it almost seemed as if he liked this question better than the first so he chose to acknowledge it. "You were not informed because no attack was planned."

"What haven't you told me Severus." This time Dumbledore was not speaking in his usual calm soothing tone. His voice was harsh and I was frightened, but Severus remained impassive. He looked at Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow, then he began to tell him what had occured in my home the night before. Everything had been exposed, including what I had endured at the hands of my father all these years. The old man did not hide anything with his expression. He was clearly shocked, but no more than I was when he fianlly spoke.

"Ms. Granger, there are consequences that need to be faced for your actions."

Before I could respond Severus stood to his feet and said "no Albus, Ms. Granger has suffered enough at the hands of that father of hers. No harm shall come to her. I will flee the country with her to prevent it." Then he lowered his voice and it became the one I was used to hearing in class "I will do it Albus. Do not doubt it."

He had not finished his defense of me when my arm were around his waist. I was so afraid that my whole body shook. This time he not only held me, but he assured that he would take of everything. The closeness between us was not lost on Dumbledore. He cleared his throat and I raised my head to look at him, but I did not leave Severus' embrace. "Ms. Granger, Professor Snape and I need to speak in private. Please wait in the sitting room." I released Severus and left the office, walking through a door that had magically when Dumbledore spoke.

Had Ron and Harry been here with me they would have produced extendable ears and listened to everything. For some reason I did not care to, even though it was my future they were discussing. That should have unnerved me, but I felt detached from the whole situation. I trusted Severus, that was something I could never do before, but now everything was different.

When Severus emerged from the office he spoke one word "come." I followed without question. I occured to me at that moment that I would have followed him anywhere. It was what I wanted to do. My thoughts were interrupted by the headmaster. "Ms. Granger, Professor Snape and I have decided that it would be best for all involved if the memory were removed from you for safe keeping."

"I will not be obliviated sir."

"I understand, and while I think that would be best, I would not force you to do so. Severus has suggested that the memory be stored in a pensieve. This way the memory cannot be accessed by others but will not be completely removed from you."

"Yes sir, I can do that."

"Very well, I trust that you know what to do."

"I've read about it."

At this Severus snorted, "then I trust Ms. Granger, that you can put it into practice."

I could have laughed had the situation not been so serious. I did just as he said, put into practice what I had read. As the strand left me I felt chills coursing through my body and it seemed as if were losing something important. Severus put his hand on my shoulder to reassure me. When it was over I did what had become a habit in the past two days. I held on to him with my face buried in his chest. This time he did not utter a single word he just held me. I knew that there was no safer place to be than in his arms.

"Ms. Granger, you are to spend the remainder of the summer with the Weasley's. Severus will accompany you there. You will join your mother briefly for your father's funeral, then you are to return to the Burrow. No one outside of this office must know the truth about your father's death."

We did just as the headmaster said. Severus took me to the Burrow. My friends left me to my own devices. They thought that I was grieving over the loss of my dad. The truth was that I was in grief over another loss. Severus had just departed and I already missed him. I always looked forward to the first day of school, but the time could not move fast enough for me this summer. I almost couldn't wait until September.

The End.

Please don't be mad. There's more to come. I'm writing the third and final installment to this story but, (yes there is a but) I'm stuck right now so it won't be posted any time soon. Thanks to all who read and reviewed "Protector".


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